The Final Fantasy

Can a boy and his dragon defeat an evil king and bring justice to the land of Alagaësia? You'll have to read Inheritance, the final book in author Christopher Paolini's Inheritance cycle, to find out. Paolini, 28, began the series when he was just 15 years old. "I hope the ending will both satisfy readers and surprise them," he told TFK.

A Thrilling Tale

Inheritance is the fourth and final book in Paolini's fantasy series, following Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr. The book picks up soon after Brisingr left off (Warning: skip to the next section if you don't want to read plot spoilers). After difficult months of training and battles, Eragon and Saphira are finally getting close to Ura'baen, the capital of Alagaësia, where the evil King Galbatorix awaits them. The book starts with the Battle of Belatona, where Eragon captures the city with Varden, a group of rebels. At Dras-Leona, Eragon and Arya are captured while trying to attack the city, but their old friends Angela and Solembum save them, and they destroy most of the city. During the journey, Eragon makes an amazing discovery of more than 200 dragon eggs and many Eldunari (crystals inside a dragon's body that contain their consciousness) at the Vault of the Souls. After some challenging battles, the team finally reaches the capital to confront King Galbatorix--but will they be able to defeat him?

TFK Kid Reporter Linda Tong interviewed Paolini last month at the offices of his book publisher, Random House, in New York City. Paolini talked about his 13-year experience writing the series, his feelings about the final book, his tips for young writers and what he plans to work on next. Watch clips from the two-part interview with Paolini below (or click here and here).